Combination lock



y 33- M. SCHNUR 2,

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Apfil 9, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 512 294 Lil- May 24, 1938. I M. SCHNUR 2,118,478

. COMBINATION LOCK Filed April 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 24, 1938. M. SCHNUR v 2,118,473

COMBINATION LOCK I Filed April 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 24, 1938. M. SCHNUR I COMBINATION LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet Fiied April 9, 1957 Mp4 4164, gin 75; {an 59' Patented May 24, 1938 warren STATES er OFFICE 15 Claims.

My invention relates to combination locks, and more particularly to the type carried by safe cabinets, safes and vaults, and one ofmy objects is to build the novel combination lock in the door of the cabinet or safe in a manner to leave the exterior of such door flush or smooth in all respects.

A further object of the invention is to so constitute th novel lock that its controls need not be read, but may be operated in partial or even complete darkness.

A still further object of the invention is to have the controls of the novel look so inconspicuous from the outside that the door of the cabinet or safe and the controls may be painted, decorated or otherwise marked in harmony with the surrounding wall, whereby to make the door and its controls ordinarily unnoticeable.

Another object of the invention is to devise a novel type of controls for the combination lock in the form of push buttons, which may be operated with ease and in a predetermined order and sequence in order to open the lock.

An additional object of the invention is to pro- ?25 vide a set of three controls for the operation of master, combination, and door releasing movements.

An important object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the novel lock which is 3'.) entirely contained in the door of the cabinet or safe and has all the requisites of the standard combination as well as other features of advantage and utility.

With the above objects in view, and any others .35 which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is an external view of a wall safe cabinet to equipped with the novel combination lock;

Fig. 2 is a plan section of the cabinet showing the door in elevation as closed, and in dotted lines as open;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the safe cabinet W5 showing the inner side of the door with the mechdering the novel lock applicable to large safes and vaults;

Fig. l2-is an enlarged detail of a mechanism in the said arrangement; and

Fig. 13 is a section on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 12. ,5

Safes or safe cabinets as generally known are identified by the conventional handle and dial knob on the door, the dial being for visual reference to operate the combination, and the handle to withdraw the latch or bolts and open the door. Obviously, light is necessary in order that the figures may be read on the dial, and in places which are partly or totally dark artificial light must be provided for this purpose. Also, the dial knob and handle project from the door so as to 15 make it conspicuous that a safe or safe cabinet is located at the particular site. Often a picture, drape or other household furnishing is placed in front of a wall safe cabinet in order to conceal the same, but the article must be removed or pushed aside in order to gain approach to the safe; also, it is frequently inconvenient to provide daylight or artificial light in an instance of this kind. It has therefore been my intention to devise a lock which is practically invisible from the outside yet permits the controls to be operated with free access and irrespective of light conditions.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawings indicates a safe cabinet of the wall type at 20, and a door for the same at 2!, the door being hinged to the cabinet at one side as indicated at 22. The cabinet opening has a keeper flange 23 for a slidable latch-bolt 24 in the center of the door, and when the mechanism carried by the door is caused to withdraw the latch-bolt 24 the doorbecause it has no handle or projecting part on the outside-is pushed open by a spring finger 23a carried inside the keeper'flange 23 and directed against the in- 40 her side of the door, whereby to automatically push the door ajar as soon as the latch-bolt 24 is withdrawn. As seen from the inside, the mechanism in the door is enclosed by a cover plate 25 which is placed upon a rim fiange 2 la projecting inwardly from the door, the cover plate being secured to the latter by screws 25a or other suitable means. As seen from the outside, the door has an upper button A as master control, a lower button B as the combination control, and a third button C as the door release control. The buttons A and B are near the opening edge of the door, while the button C is near the hinge edge thereof. 7

Primarily, it is the operators function to push 5 the buttons A and B a predetermined number of times in a prescribed relation, in accordance with a given combination of numbers. Thus, the combination may read B6 (meaning the button B 6 times), A-5 (meaning the button A 5 times), B3, A-3, B-l3, etc. Whenthe combination has been followed and completed, a single push of the button C procures the withdrawal of the latch-bolt 2 3 and the consequent automatic opening of the door. This is followed by the return of the latch-bolt to its extended position and the restoration of the combination mechanism to its original state. This is actually a locked condition after the door is pushed closed to trip the latch-bolt over the keeper, indicating that no other operation is necessary to lock the safe. On the other hand, should the operator make an error in the manipulation of the buttons A and B and stop either at the end of the series of impulses or at a time prior thereto, the actuation of the button will not bring about the withdrawal of the latch-bolt 24, but will in each instance reset the combination into the original locked state.

In describing the instrumentalities entering into the operation of the novel lock it is noted that each of the push-buttons is in the form of a plunger which operates in a cup 26 which is isolated from the general mechanism of the lock, so that a tool inserted by an unauthorized person with the intention of prying out the button and tampering with the combination will extend no further than the interior of the cup. The latter is, however, slotted at one side as indicated at 260. (see Fig. 7) to permit a hook 2? to enter the cup behind the button, the hook having a base 21a which is rockably mounted on a shaft 28 carried by a door-bearing 29. The sides of each hook base project from the latter as indicated at 2% to carry between them a rod 29A for the button A, arod 29B for the button B and a rod 2&0 forthe button C.

A short distance below the zone of the button A, the door carries fixed guides 30 and 3%. for the horizontal operation of a set of slide bars which are in closely grouped vertical relation. The top bar is related to the push button A and is therefore numbered EIA; and the rest of the bars are related to the push-button B and are therefore numbered 32B, 33B, etc. in downward direction. It is seen that, while the slide bars just referred to are plain in the regions toward the left as seen in Fig. 3they are cut with ratchet teeth 83 at the right, and it is the province of the buttons A and B to impart short leftward strokes to the related bars through the medium of pawls for the ratchet formations each time the buttons are pushed.

In accordance with the plan just mentioned, it is seen that'the rod 29A is downwardly extended to freely receive a pawl 31A which is'directed to the ratchet formation 33 of the slide bar MA. The pawl is held in this engagement by having a lug 38A projecting from it drawn toward the left by a wire 33A which includes a spring MA whose remote end is connected to a bracket 4! carried by the door. It is now seen that the pushing action of the button A rocks the shaft 28 and throws the rod 29A leftward, against the tension of a spring 3% whereby to operate the pawl and move the slide bar 3IA a given distance toward the left. This movement is resisted by a light spring 42A whose rear end is attached to a stationary bracket 23 carried by the bearing 38a, the other end of the spring being tied to a pin 43A carried. by the left-hand end of the slide bar SlA. Also, the recession of the slide-bar from the shifted position is stopped by a check-pawl MA which is pivoted on a crossshaft 45 carried in extensions 3% of the bearing 30. The check-pawl MA has an outward lug extension 45A which is drawn by means of a spring 45A to the stationary bracket 43. The checkpawl is thus held in engagement with the ratchet formations of the slide bar and maintains the latter fixedly in the position to which shifted.

The rod 293B, while in line with the rod 29A, is independent therefrom. It receives a pawl 37B slidably in order to make it possible to place the pawl opposite any one of the slide bars 32B, 3313 etc, in order to actuate the corresponding ratchet portion thereof. The pawl BIB also has the outstanding lug 38B, draw-wire 39B and final spring ifiB to the door bracket 4|, all for the same purpose in respect to the slide bar 32B as in the instance previously described. Likewise, checkpawls, springs for them, and slide bar springs are provided for the slide bars 33B, 343 etc. precisely similar to the previously described corresponding parts 44A, 45A and AEA, respectively. Thus,each of the slide bars is independently spring-drawn toward the right-as seen in Fig. 3and checked. While the mechanism in connection with the button A indicates the manner of imparting a succession of leftward shifting strokes to the slide bar 35A with each push of the button, the other slide bars are not in any way affected until the button B is pushed, and then onlyin accordance with the position at which the pawl 37B is located. Thus, this pawl is initially opposite the slide bar 32B, and serves to propel the same when the button B is actuated. However, when the pawl is lowered to a position opposite the slide bar' 33B, then only such slide bar will be propelled when the button B is again actuated.

In order to shift the pawl 313 from the initial position to the next position down, a mechanism originating from the slide bar 3lA goes into action. As seen in Fig. 3, the slide bar SIA receives a vertical plate 59 which has an inclined cam formation on its upper edge to control the left-hand portion of a follower 5i pivoted at 5Ia. in a door-bracket 52 to rock in a vertical plane. In the right-hand portion of the door-as seen in Fig. 3is a bearing 53 for a vertical slide t l which has a pin 54a projecting from its upper end into a slot 5|?) made in the right-hand end portion of the follower 5i. Thus, as the cam plate 59 is moved step by step toward the left when't'ne button A is pushed, the rise of the cam 59a rocks the follower 5! to depress the slide 54 in accordance with the design of the cam. The slide E i-is drawn upwardly by a spring 5% in order to maintain the follower 5! in contact with the profile of the cam. The lug 38B of the pawl BlB receives a forked extension 540 of the slide whereby to make the pawl shiftable in accordance with the movement of the slide.

It will now beapparent that the operation of the push buttons'may be calculated by numbers of strokes as well as predetermined selection of and relation between the buttons to effect the respective movements of the slide bars in accordance with a given calculation or. combination. Thus, each of the slide bars is cut with a facial recess D at a predetermined point, and it may be assumed that a given combination is solved when the recesses D of all the slide bars. come into line. A combination such as the one suggested on a previous page may thus be worked out as follows, the combination being 'B-t, A5, B3, A3, Bl3, etc. Pushing the button B six times will advance the slide bar 32B six steps to the left. Next, pushing the button A five times will advance the slide bar 31A five steps. However, this movement is accompanied by the riseof the cam 51') to lower the pawl 3 113 to a position where it is now opposite the slide bar 3313. The next order in the combination is to push the button B three times, which operates to shift the slide bar 3313 accordingly. The operation of the combination may thus continue by actuating thebuttons in alternation the required number of strokes, so that eventually the slide bars have moved to various positions as indicated in Fig. 4, all designed to aline the recesses D as a solution of the combination. It must ben'oted that the operation of the slide bars must always begin with the button B, and not with the button A. The reason for this is that actuating the button A not only propels the slide bar 31A, but immediately begins to have its effect on the lowering of the pawl 31B. Therefore, the advance of the slide bar 3 IA would "induce movements of the said pawl in advance of its predetermined operative functions. On the. other hand, if the button B is first actuated, the desired operation'or advance of the slide bar 32B will be finished before the pawl 313 takes its position opposite the next slide bar, and it is only logical that the button A be next actuated to both advance the slide bar 31A and procure the shift of the pawl 31B.

The solution of the combination effects the release of the latch-bolt 2% by first controlling an upright lever 51 which is pivoted at 51a to a bracket 58 in the bottom of the door. The lever is movable toward the door by the pressure of a horizontal" arm 59, drawn toward the door by a spring 6! against a rearward lug 59a of the lever.

When the slots D of the combination solution come into line, the lever 51 is automatically caused to drop into them, thus assuming a position closer to the door.

At one side of the lever 51 is a bearing t l carried by the door, the bearing having a shaft Eta on which is journaled the outer end of a crank 62. To a medial part of the crank is linked the corresponding end of the arm 58, while the inner part thereof seats in a cavity cut in the shank of the latch-bolt 24. The swing of the crank 52 operates the latch-bolt'bac'k and forth andthe inward stroke of the same is resisted by a spring 63', one end of the spring being attached at 630. to the latch-bolt, and the other at 631) to a; sheath in which the same is slidable. The crank 62 meets a stop pin Bib as a limit for the advance of the latch-bolt,

- The bar 59 is extended with a hook 6'4 hinged at 55 to the bar, the spring 60 preferably extend-' 'ing from the hinge pintle to a pin 63a carried by a bracket 691) secured to the door. Ordinarily, the outward position of the lever 51 maintained by the locked position of the combination slide bars keeps the hook 54 just behind the rod 29C,

' but in the event of the solution of the combination and the aforesaid clearance afforded the lever 57, the spring 66 acts to draw the hook forward over the rod-29C. Now, the pushing of the button C will carry the rod 290 to the left'as seen in Fig. 5-, drawing upon the arm 59 and in turn upon the latch-bolt 2-2 to retract the same. From the mechanism just described, itis apparent that the pushing of the button C will have no effect on the latch-bolt unless the combination is solved, as the hook 64 will otherwise be kept by the lever 51 from being engaged by the rod 29C.

The push-button C also serves to clear the combination at any time it is pressed. As originally mentioned, this can either be done after the combination has only been partially worked and an error made or anticipated, or when the combination has been fully worked and an error has occurred, so that the lock can be in either case immediately cleared or're-set to original position. This means that all the slide bars are returned to the originally-grouped relation-as seen in Fig. 3, this action being instituted by the rod 29C. Thus, a link H extends from this rod to a central point behind the door, there to engage the upper end of a lever '12 horizontally pivoted at T3 to a door bracket 13a. The lower end of the lever 72 is connected by a link 14 to a medial point 15a, of an upright arm 15 pivoted at 15b to a door bracket 7.50 to be swingable in parallelism to the door and drawn toward its hinged side by a spring 15d. 'The upper portion of the arm 15 is divided with a forward branch 15c and a rear branch 15]. The latter occurs to the left of the check-pawl lugs 45A and 45B, While the forward branch 156 has a lateral fork 15g opposite the lug 38A of the pawl SEA. When the rod 29C moves to the left in response to the push of the button C, the lever '52 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to push the arm 15 to the right and impel the series of lugs 45A and 45B and the pawl lugs 38A and 3813 to the right so as to assure the release of all the pawls from the slide bar ratchet formations, and so permit the slide bar springs to quickly restore them to the initial position.

However, the restoring action just anticipated cannot occur as long as the lever 51 seats in the alined slots D of the slide bars and makes the latterimmovable. A releasing device is therefore provided which takes its origin from the rod 29C. As seen in Figs. 3 and 8, the rod receives in pivotal relation one end of a slide 75h, which has a top lug 152', from which a drawspring E57 leads to a door bracket 15k to both keep the slide in the position shown and the rod 29C and button C in their original positions. The slide 15h in its normal position acts as a stop for the lever 5'|--as seen in Fig. 8so that the lever may not lie against the slide bars. However, when the latter have been advanced to secure the alinement of their slots D, the partial push of the button C will unseat the lever 57 from the slide top and cause the lever to drop into the slots D with one portion and into a cavity 75m of the slide with another portion. As previously outlined, the advance of the lever allows the hook fi l to engage the red 29C. Now the further push of the button C will draw both upon the bar 59 and the slide 15h. The bar procures the latch-bolt withdrawal, while an incline 1511 on the rear end of the slide bears on the lever 5? to back it out of the cavity 75m and slide barslots D, and thus release the slide bars for their restoring motions when the branches of the arm 15 raise the pawls and check pawls away from the slide bars. As the hook 64 is under the frictional hold of the rod 29C while the button C is being pushed, the backing action of the lever 51 as induced by the incline 15m may meet re-- sistance in the bar 59. The latter is therefore hinged to the hook at 65 topermit the bar to yield, the breaking of the joint being resisted by a leaf spring lfip extended between clips i5q formed from the aiiected parts. Thus, when the push button 0 has been fully depressed and the door pushed ajar by the spring 2311, the hook 6 will be pushed away from the rod 290 and the lock constituents restored to original positions.

According to the present construction, the side fork 15g of the arm branch We is of elongated form to also form a support for the lug 38A and so enable the pawl 37A to be freely rather than rigidly mounted on the rod 29A.

The modification of Figs. 11 to 13 shows the adaptation of the above lock to larger safes or vaults. In these a mere latch-bolt is inadequate, and slide-bolts are usually employed. As seen in Fig. 11, a set of laterally-movable bolts occurs at '55 and a set of vertically-movable ones at T5. These are connected by rotary disks F8 to move in unison when the disks are rotated, the master disk having a link 58a to connect it with an oscillatory lever l9 pivoted at E90, to the door of the safe or vault. Such door is equipped with a combination lock of the same nature as previously described, but the bolt 2 terminates with a horizontal loop Si instead of with a latch-head. An independent latch-bolt assembly 82 is carried by a panel 33 mounted in the door on a pivot pin M. The withdrawal of the bolt-shank 24 by operation of the push button C causes the loop ill to back the latch-bolt B2 to the extent of permitting the panel 83 to swing out by the operation of a spring pusher 85 carried by the door and similar to the previous spring finger 23a, so that the panel may be taken hold of by hand as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 13. By this action, a block 85 carried inside the panel swings in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 to meet the lower portion of the lever l9, and the further pull on the panel causes this lever to be pushed to the right and so effect the withdrawal of the doorbolts l6 and 77. Now the continued pull on the panel will open the door.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a safe lock which has all the advantages of the conventional combination lock plus several features of special merit. As has been mentioned, the lock makes it possible to build a safe cabinet flush with a wall and to so blend it with the surrounding scheme as to be unnoticeable to the average observer. Besides, a safe exterior so constituted is neat because it does not present the usual handle and combination knob to view. The lock is of course capable of a large variety of combinations by the simple alteration of or addition to the set of slide bars and the change of the master cam profile to suit. As has been noted, all the operating parts are positively actuated, springs only being employed to effect their return, so that no springs or other delicate parts are involved when the combination is worked. At the same time, the mechanism is of so compact a nature as to be fully housed in the door or only the frontal portion thereof, leaving a maximum of room for other purposes. With the lock involving a series of consecutive controls, the combination may either be a short one for an individual to have charge of or a longer one wherein sections are entrusted to two or three individuals. For instance, these may be the partners in a business, each having a section of the combination unknown to the others. Thus, it would require all of the partners to join in a given order before the lock can be opened, in case it is desirable that no one or two parties have complete control of the combination. Finally, the novel lock makes it possible to open the safe in partial or complete darkness,

and Without the necessity of any dial or instruc- V tions being read.

I claim:--

1. A safe having a door, a combination lock contained in the same, master, secondary and door release units controlled by the combination, a pair of vertically-spaced push-buttons contained in the door at one side representing the master and secondary combination controls, and a push-button contained in the door at the opposite side representing the door release control.

2. A combination lock comprising a master slide bar, a set of secondary slide bars in grouped relation with the master slide bar, means to advance the latter, other means to advance any one of the secondary slide bars, and a mechanism controlled by the master unit to selectively dispose said other means in respect to the secondary slide bars.

3. A combination lock comprising a top slide bar, a set of slide bars below the top one, means to advance the latter, other means movable in downward order to positions opposite the lower slide bars and adapted to advance either of these, a cam carried by the top slide bar, and a follower opposite said cam and operative to depress said other means in accordance with the profile of the cam whereby'to make the selection and advance of the lower slide bars dependent on the progress of the cam during the advance of the top slide bar.

4. A combination lock comprising a set of controls, the rock shafts operated by the controls, slide bars having ratchet surface formations, and a pawl actuated by each rock-shaft to engage such formations in corresponding slide bars in order to periodically advance the latter.

5. A combination lock comprising a set of controls, a top slide bar, a set of slide bars below the top one, a rock-shaft operated by each control, the slide bars having ratchet surface formations, a pawl carried by one rock-shaft and engage.- able with the ratchet formations of the top slide bar to periodically advance the same, a pawl slidable along the other rock-shaft whereby to be placeable opposite any of the lower slide bars, such latter pawl being adapted to engage the ratchet formations of the chosen lower slide bar in order to periodically advance the latter, and means to move the latter pawl along its rockshaft control led by the advance of the top slide bar.

6. A combination-lock comprising a set of superimposed slide bars having characteristics adapted to aline for registration to represent the solution of the combination, a control to periodically operate the slide bars the respective distances to procure said alinement, check means to hold each slide bar in any position of advance, a second control operable to release said check means, and automatic means effective to restore the slide bars to the initial positions in the event.

of such release.

7. In a safe, a combination lock for the door thereof comprising a set of superimposed slide bars having cavities adapted to aline for registration to represent the solution of the combination, a control to periodically operate the slide bars the respective distances to procure said alinement, a doorrelease means, a second control adapted to be engaged by and to actuate said door-release means, and a lever opposite the slide bars and normally maintaining the door release means out of said engagement, said lever being movable to seat insaid cavities when they are alined, whereby to procure said engagement and make the door releasable by said second control.

8. In a safe, a combination lock for the door thereof comprising a set of superimposed slide bars having cavities adapted to aline for registration to represent the solution of the combination, a control to periodically operate the slide bars the respective distances to procure said alinement, check means to hold each slide bar in any position of advance, asecond control operable to release said check means, door-release means, said second control being adapted to be engaged by and to actuate said door-release means, and a lever opposite the slide bars and normally maintaining the door release means out of said engagement, said lever being movable to seat in said cavities when they are alined, whereby to procure said engagement and make the door releasable by said second control.

9. A combination lock comprising a master slide bar, a set of secondary slide bars in grouped relation with the master slide bar, all the slide bars having ratchet surface formations, a pair of controls, a pawl connection from one control to periodically advance the master slide bar, a pawl connection from the other control to periodically advance any one of the secondary slide bars, and a support along which the second-mentioned pawl connection is adjustable to come opposite to and engageable with the particular secondary slide bar selected to be advanced.

10. The structure of claim 4, the slide bars comprising a master one and a secondary set in grouped relation with the master slide bar, and said rock-shafts being arranged in alinement transversely of the slide bar group.

11. In a safe, a combination lock for the door thereof comprising a set of superimposed slide bars having cavities adapted to aline for registration to represent the solution of the combination when the slide bars are moved predetermined distances, door-release means, a control adapted to be engaged by and to actuate the door-release means, a lever opposite the slide bars and normally maintaining the door-release means out of said engagement, said lever being movable to seat in said cavities when they are alined and permit said engagement of the door-release means, and a support for said lever retaining it in its normal position, such support being connected to said control and movable to depart from the lever when the control is actuated and permit the lever to assume said seating movement.

12. The structure of claim 11, means to retain the slide bars at the position to which they have been moved, automatic means to return the slide bars to their original positions when said retaining means are withdrawn, an extension of said support operative to raise the lever out of its seated position on the further movement of the control, and means to withdraw said retaining means on the final movement of the control.

13. The structure of claim 11, means to retain the slide bars at the position to which they have been moved, automatic means to return the slide bars to their original positions when said retaining means are withdrawn, an extension of said support operative to raise the lever out of its seated position on the further movement of the control, and means to withdraw said retaining means on the final movement of the control, said support comprising a slide operated by the control, and said withdrawing means comprising a rising cam adapted to bear on the lever when the control undergoes said final movement.

14. The structure of claim 11, means to retain the slide bars at the position to which they have been moved, automatic means to return the slide bars to their original positions when said retaining means are withdrawn, an extension of said support operative to raise the lever out of its seated position on the further movement of the control, and means to withdraw said retaining means on the final movement of the control, said support comprising a slide operated by the control, and said withdrawing means comprising a rising cam adapted to bear on the lever when the control undergoes said final movement, said doorrelease means being yieldable at the point when contacted by the lever, in order to allow for pressure by the latter as induced by the cam without separating said engagement.

15. In a safe, a combination lock for the door thereof composing a set of superimposed slide bars having cavities adjusted to aline for registration to represent the solution of the combination when the slide bars are moved predetermined distances, a door bolt, a member for retracting the latter and terminating with a hook, a laterally-movable control shaft with which the hook is engageable, a lever opposite an intermediate portion of the hook and normally maintaining the same out of said engagement, means urging the hook to seat the lever in said cavities when they are alined and simultaneously engage the hook with the control shaft, means for restoring the slide bars to their original positions, a slide operated by the control shaft and having a rising cam effective to urge the lever against said hook portion, a break-joint between the latter and the bill of the hook, and a spring between the components of the break-joint to render the hook yieldable to the urge of the cam.

MATHEW SCHN'UR. 

